In a novel in verse, Lexi, a year after her baby half-sister's death, attempts to cope with the problems of everyday life as well as with her alcoholic father, now in jail, her anorexic, bipolar stepmother, and her autistic half-brother.

Just like prose, a novel in verse tells a story. But verse is unique because readers access the text through short ""chapters, "" or poems. The varying lengths of the chapters are ideal for a struggling reader, giving them breaks to collect their thoughts, to imagine the characters in their mind's eye, and to set the scene-like a frame in a movie. The structure of poetry makes the books appear less intimidating, with plenty of airy white space. Moreover, the depth and substance conveyed in verse is every bit as deep and real as in a Gravel Road prose novel. Like watching a movie frame by frame,.